My son is 6 and has had an IEP since he was 3. He has continually had the same problems and the school has neglected to find him a placement. The school is making me feel intimidated and I need help for my son. Where can I get help for free since I am a parent on a low income?
Dear Joanna,
Every state has an organization funded by the federal government called a Parent Training and Information Center. The center in your area can be found by going to the website for the Alliance that provides support to these centers: www.taalliance.org. They have a search engine that will identify the center in your area.
The federal government also funds agencies to provide no-cost legal services to people with disabilities in each state, called protection and advocacy agencies. These agencies can be found at www.ndrn.org.
In addition, the Council of Parents, Attorneys and Advocates, has a search-engine listing attorneys and advocates that advise and represent families in special education disputes around the country. Some of these people are employed by agencies that provide their services for free, while others are in private practice, but may provide services for free or on a sliding scale for individual cases.
Finally, your school district and the state education agency are required to provide you, on request, a copy of low-cost or no-cost legal service agencies in your state that provide assistance with special education disputes.
Topic
Working with Families